School Library Standards

Library Surveys

CDE Online School Library Survey
The annual online school library survey is now open to collect information from individual schools about their libraries in 2013-2014. It will be available through Saturday, February 28, 2015. Survey results from prior years are available anytime on the library survey home page.

School Libraries Count!
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) "School Libraries Count" gathers annual data on changes in the field to gain understanding of the state of school library media programs nationally. Private schools are included.

Library Funding

Awards and Grants from the American Association of School Librarians (AASL)
The 2013 AASL Awards & Grants season is open. The AASL awards program will offer more than $50,000 in awards to AASL members in 2013. AASL’s 10 awards recognize excellence and showcase best practices in the school library field in categories that include research, collaboration, leadership and innovation. AASL personal members are required to fill out applications using AASL’s electronic awards database. Apply for all AASL awards and grants through the AASL electronic awards database. The deadline for most awards and grants is February 1, 2013. The deadline for the National School Library Program of the Year (NSLPY) Award is January 2, 2013.

Improving Literacy Through School Libraries
This federal grant program is no longer available though recipients and grant descriptions are still posted on this site. See Innovative Approaches to Literacy Program for an alternative.

Innovative Approaches to Literacy Program Grants
Grant opportunity. The Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) program supports high-quality programs designed to develop and improve literacy skills for children and students from birth through 12th grade within the attendance boundaries of high-need local educational agencies and schools. The U.S. Department of Education intends to support innovative programs that promote early literacy for young children, motivate older children to read, and increase student achievement by using school libraries, distributing free books to children and their families, and offering high-quality literacy activities. Applications are due by August 10, 2012.

Laura
Bush Foundation for America's Libraries
Grant opportunity. The Laura Bush Foundation will make grants
of amounts up to $5,000 to school libraries. Funds are to be used
to update, extend, and diversify the book collections of those
libraries.

Lenski Covey Foundation grants for purchasing books
Grant opportunity. The Lois Lenski Covey Foundation, Inc. annually awards grants for purchasing books published for young people preschool through grade 12. Grants for 2012 will range from $500 to $3000 and are specifically for children’s book purchases rather than administrative or operational uses. The Foundation gives to libraries or organizations that serve economically or socially at-risk children, have limited book budgets, and demonstrate real need. Only libraries or organizations within the United States, its territories, or commonwealths are eligible.

NEA Foundation Grants
Grant opportunity. The National Education Association (NEA) Foundation makes $1,000 awards to public schools serving economically disadvantaged students to purchase books for school libraries as part of Books Across America Library Book Awards. The NEA Foundation makes these awards in collaboration with the National Education Association. The new application process has not been announced. Other grants are available.

Target Early Childhood Reading Grants
Support programs like weekend book clubs and after-school reading programs that foster a love of reading and encourage children, from birth through age nine, to read together with their families. The award amount is $2,000. All schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations are eligible for the grant. Grant applications are typically accepted between March 1 and April 30 each year, with grant notifications delivered at the end of August.

Teacher Librarians

A teacher librarian is a person who possesses both a California
teaching credential and a California Teacher Librarian Services
credential. Other states frequently refer to this as "library media
specialist." Find a program to become a Teacher Librarian.

21st Century School Libraries
(video)
School libraries are the hub of the school, librarians are heavily involved in education, and changing technology means the library is actually more relevant than ever.

School and Public Library Cooperation

Activities between school libraries and public libraries.

"Joint Use" Public/School Libraries
Public and School Libraries: Issues and Options of Joint Use Facilities and Cooperative Use Agreements, Christopher Berger, California State Library.